Dugg Burger is Paying Homage to the State Fair of Texas with Fried Things

When eating your way through the State Fair of Texas, one of the best ways to keep your insides happy is to exercise fried restraint. It’s like a food casino. Stick to a corny dog, zig-zagged with mustard, or the Game of Thrones-level turkey leg or anything dunked in hot oil by Abel Gonzales Jr., to keep yourself from going broke in minutes. A corny dog and a funnel cake beer is good fried budgeting.

In this spirit of crispy restraint, Dallas’ Dugg Burger is dedicating themselves to a week of ingredients that honor the State Fair of Texas. Dugg Burger, for the uninitiated, is the fast-casual burger spot that makes a tiny home for your ingredients by scooping out a bit from the bun. You pick your toppings, which are simple and good — jalapeños and bacon and caramelized onions — the bun’s toasted up and ingredients nestle in the bun hole like baby birds in a nest.

It’s hilariously warm for October, and I’m in line for Wednesday’s Dugg Burger State Fair ingredient (for no extra cost): fried green tomatoes. To start, I get the beef patty with pepper jack cheese. While the burger's cooking, I add white onion, chopped lettuce, pickle strips, the creamy Dugg sauce and a cornmeal-battered fried green tomato that fits perfectly in the bun’s scooped-out center. The thin, still-sizzling patty, topped with pepper Jack, is dropped on top, and I’m eating within minutes.

The fried green tomato is crispy, hot and juicy. Original Big Tex didn’t immolate for nothing: For under 10 bucks, this is a restrained, delicious homage to the fair fried goods.

Dugg Burger is running special ingredients all week in honor of the fair (at the Dallas and Plano location), including fried jalapeños on Saturday, Oct. 22 and fried pickles on Sunday, Oct. 23. This is the week’s schedule:

· Thursday, Oct. 20: Fried Eggplant
· Friday, Oct. 21: Fried Corn Dogs
· Saturday, Oct. 22: Fried Jalapeños
· Sunday, Oct. 23: Fried Pickles

Make sure you ask for the “Lucky 13” topping, which is the special ingredient. It’s a great way to wish a tearful, fried goodbye to the nation’s longest-running (by consecutive days) fair.

Dugg Burger, 9540 Garland Road, Dallas, and 4701 W. Park Blvd., Plano